§10402. Powers and duties

1.__Develop long-term plan for increasing level of educational attainment in State.__The council shall:

A.__Develop and recommend a long-term plan, goals, benchmarks and alternative strategies for increasing the level of educational attainment in the State;

B.__Monitor progress in accomplishing the long-term plan's vision, goals and benchmarks;

C.__Develop a recommended plan of action to implement the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Postsecondary Educational Attainment established pursuant to Resolve 2001, chapter 66; and

D.__Recommend changes in the long-term plan to reflect newly identified education needs within the State.

2.__Council procedures.__The council shall use the following guidelines when developing the long-term plan described in subsection 1.

A.__The process must be continuous, with a multiyear planning horizon.__It must include clear authority for monitoring and evaluating progress in evaluating the long- term plan on a regular basis.

B.__The long-term plan must have a strategic focus and measurable outcomes, with clear goal-setting and performance indicators.

C.__The council may appoint working groups and advisory committees as necessary, representing key concerned parties, to accomplish the goals outlined in this section.

D.__The process must be statewide in scope, using available technology to ensure that all areas of the State have access to the work of the council.

E.__Preparation and maintenance of the long-term plan must be through a public and private partnership approach that is objective and nonpartisan.

3. Long-term plan contents.__The long-term plan developed by the council under this section must consist of:

A.__A process for improving educational attainment within the State that demonstrates a shared commitment to achieving that end and a recognition that new forms of cooperation among public and private institutions of higher education, kindergarten to grade 12 education, State Government and the wider community at large are required to achieve the plan's goals;

B.__A strategy for implementing the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Postsecondary Educational Attainment established pursuant to Resolve 2001, chapter 66;

C.__Benchmarks for accomplishing the long-term plan that are specific and quantifiable performance indicators against which each of the goals that have been set forth to accomplish the vision can be measured;

D.__Alternative strategies to accomplish the benchmarks based upon the best practices in this State, other states and other countries; and

E.__A strategy for improving educational attainment that is not limited to traditional baccalaureate programs.__The long-term plan must include consideration of improving the academic and career preparation of all kindergarten to grade 12 students, increasing workforce training and retraining programs, removing financial and other barriers to educational attainment and increasing the capacity of all types of postsecondary educational programs to meet the educational needs of citizens of this State.

4.__Fiscal matters. The responsibility for funding the council must be shared equally between government and the private sector.__ The Maine Development Foundation shall serve as the council's fiscal agent, providing regular financial reports to the council on funds received and expended and an annual audit.__The Maine Development Foundation shall seek funds and accept gifts to support the council's objectives.

5.__Staff support.__The Maine Development Foundation shall provide staff support to fulfill the requirements of this section.

6.__Report.__ Beginning in January 2003, the council shall report annually to the Legislature and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters.__The council shall report on implementation of its long- term plan and recommended changes to the long-term plan.

Sec. 3. Initial members. The initial members of the Maine Higher Educational Attainment Council established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 10401 must be appointed by September 1, 2002.

SUMMARY

This bill is reported by the Blue Ribbon Commission on Postsecondary Educational Attainment pursuant to Resolve 2001, chapter 66, section 8. The bill establishes the Maine Higher Educational Attainment Council to develop a long-term plan for increasing the level of educational attainment in the State and to provide a unified voice for higher education in the State. The council is a 16-member body appointed jointly by the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House. The council is to be equally funded by government and the private sector. It will report to the Legislature and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters annually.